Drawer-locking device for trunks



May 15, 1923.

J. P. GIBSON DRAWER LOCKING DEVICE FOR TRUNKS Filed July 19, 1922 Patented May l5, lQZZii.

JOSEPH P. GIBSON, OF SPRING- VALLEY, ILLINOIS.

DRAWER-LOCKING DEVICE FOR TBUNKS.

Application filed my 19, i922. Serial no. 576,070.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr P. Grnson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spring Valley, in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Drawer-Locking Devices for Trunks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

'liis invention relates to drawer locking means and more particularly to drawer looking means for trunks.

An object oithe invention is to provide means of this character capable of locking the drawers or a wardrobe trunk by means lookingly engaged with the sect-ion oi the trunk in which the drawers are disposed.

It is another object of the invention to provide means of this character including a holding member adapted to engage the drawers of a trunk, said member being provided with means for locking engagement with one edge portion 01 the casing in which the drawers are disposed.

It is a further objectof thev invention to provide locking means of this character embodying a holding bar capable of being locked to the outer face of the trunk section without requiring alteration of the drawers or the trunk.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a wardrobe trunk showing the invention applied;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of the drawer section of the trunk showing the invention applied;

Figure 3 is a perspective view or" the looking bar; and

Figure t is a perspective view of the truss, a portion or the socket keeper being broken away to show the socket for the reception of the keeper.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a trunk including sections 6 and 7, the section 7 being provided with a tier of drawers 8, each drawer being provided with a handle 9.

Carried by the section 7, adjacent one end thereof is a support 10 from the central por tion of which a keeper 11 projects, said keeper having an opening 12, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

The upper end 13 of the section 7 is bulged in a manner common to Wardrobe trunks. Said end is formed through the provision of a truss 14 which is disposed upon the outer face of the end wall of the section 7. In the present invention the truss is utilized also as a support for a portion of the locking mechanism. This is possible by the provision of a socket 15 in the central portion oi" the outer face of the truss, said socket being adapted to receive a socket lock keeper 16. The socket portion or" the keeper extends into the socket 15, while the flange 17 of the keeper engages the outer face of the truss 1e. Rivets 18 are used to fasten the keeper to the truss. These rivets are arranged to extend laterally of the truss so as to render prying of the keeper from the truss impossible. By this means the keeper 15 is disposed substantially flush with the outer face of the truss and the edge of the end portion 13 of the trunk section 7. The object is to render the device as compact as possible and prevent interference with the closing of the sections. A holding bar 19 is provided, aid bar being constructed of substantial material and having its end portion 20 slightly curved longitudinally, the en tremity of said end portion being beveled and rounded to permit ready insertion of the holder in the slots 12 or" the keeper 11. The opposite end portion 21 of the bar is provided with an opening 22. A look 23 is provided, said lock icing of the trunk type, that is, with a rotatable lock bolt or double spring pressed locking bolt, in other words, a lock of a type to permit the bar to be locked to the outer face of the truss, without requiring the lock to extend beneath the truss or between the truss and the drawer. The lock comprises a body member including an extension 2%, said extension being re duced to provide a shoulder 25. The extension is also provided with an opening 26 adapted to register with the opening 22 of the bar 19. .Vhen the lock is applied, the extremity of the end portion 21 of the bar is adapted to engage the shoulder 25, so as to prevent movement of the body member of the lock laterally of the bar, arivet 27 being used to secure the extension 24 to the bar. By this means the locking mechanism of the lock 3 projects a sl ght distance beyond the side face of the bar. To facilitate application of the bar, a ring 28 is connected to the bar adjacen the body member or the lock.

In the application of the lock, the end portion 20 of the bar is passed through the handle member 9 of each drawer of the tier and through the keeper 11. The end portion 21 is then moved toward the keeper 16, the locking mechanism being insert-ed in the keeper so as to dispose the body member of the lock and the bar in parallel relation to the outer face of the truss 14:. The lock then operated to lock the bar through the section 7.

An important feature of this look is that it is not necessary to extend the body of the.

lock, the bolt of the lock, or any portion of the locking means beneath the truss, or inwardly of the end wall o1 the section-7. It is notnecessary to extend the lock within the top drawer or to connect the lock or looking bar in any manner to the top drawer. This permits the top drawer-,as well as the middle drawers, to be embraced by a substantial member extending over the truss and the outer face of the'top drawer. In addition to this the locking mechanism is rendered compact, so that'it' may be disposed between the sections when in their closed positions Without interfering with the locking of the trunk; Another advantage'of this arrange ment is that the locking means is disposed directly beneath the valance" A of the trunk structure so that the lock is protected by the In combination with a truss for bulging" the end wall of a wardrobe trunk section, said truss having its upper face longitudinally curved and having a socket'in the outer side face thereof, said outer face being disposed flush with the outer Walls'of the drawers of saidtrunk section, a socket lock keeper disposed in the recess; of the truss,

and having ears engaged with and secured to the outer face of the truss, inwardly of the longitudinal edges of said truss, and

a holding bar arranged to engage the drawers, a trunk lock secured'to one end of the bar and extending beyond said end, the

body portion 01"? said lock being: disposed" parallel to the outer face of the truss and the outer walls of the drawers, the locking mechanism of said lock being: adapted to enter the socket lock keeper;

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix'my signature. j Y

J OSEPH P. GIBSON. 

